10 Tools You Must Use Before You Die

Some tools you use because you need to. But others you use because you want to. We think up new projects or other excuses to buy, rent, or borrow the mix of tools on our bucket list. Find a reason to try them out, but be warned: Using them can be addicting. (And remember that the most fun tools are also those with the most potential to be dangerous, so use them safely.)

Woodworking Lathe

Woodworking Lathe

A lathe holds and rotates a stock of wood on its axis for carving, sanding, cutting, or other woodworking tasks. It's great for making your own baseball bats, pool cues, circular chair legs, or other projects that would be extremely difficult, or at least a lot more time-consuming, with other tools.

Woodworker Terry J. Beitl, owner of Terry J. Beitl Cabinetry in Pipersville, Pa., used his first lathe in 7th grade, 55 years ago, to make walnut salad bowls. Now he uses a lathe to shape legs for furniture, among other things. "There's a certain amount of danger with wood pieces flying off," he says. "My advice is to just go for it. Make a million mistakes until you get it right."

Demolition Hammer

Demolition Hammer

Just about all demolition tools are fun to use, but these ultrapowerful hammers can pound through a concrete wall, so you know they pack a punch. A demolition hammer is basically a handheld version of a jackhammer. It's heavy, sometimes weighing more than 20 pounds, but newer models are more ergonomically friendly and cause less ache in your forearms after long usage.

"It definitely beats using a sledgehammer," says Dave Dunn, owner of Dunn Company in Walnut Creek, Calif., a general-engineering contractor. Dunn uses the hammers for making holes in concrete foundations to run ductwork or pipes. "You can open up a hole without damaging the foundation," he says.